Not Just Pumpkin Beer: 8 Best Fall Beers

Plan Ahead for Fall and Stock up on These Autumnal Brews

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With additions by Karl Klockars

There’s no bad time to drink beer — but fall has to be our favorite time to drink beer. With the juicy glow of summer’s fruited pale ales and light lagers fading, snifters of Oktoberfest brews, rich stouts and – if we’re feeling a little festive – pumpkin ales are on the horizon. Between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, the autumnal brews on tap hit that sweet spot between comforting and fresh – and we can’t get enough.

What exactly makes a beer “autumn”-y? Many of the fall beers shown below are actually year-round offerings, but the cooling weather simply makes it the best time to crack them open. Fall beers highlight the joys of malts over hops, and utilize the seasonal bounty of ingredients like pumpkin and apple, with spices and balance and colors to match — reddish-orange ales and brown lagers aplenty.

While you’ve still got a little ways to go, we’ve shared the best fall seasonal beers below to get you prepped and ready for when the leaves start to fall.

Fall Beer Styles

Porters: Malty, bready, roasted, strong and usually dry; a step below stouts in strength and viscosity but not in a watered-down sort of way

Scotch Ales: A little smokey and peat-y, but mostly a deep brown brew with rich caramel sweetness and a clean (not sticky) finish

Pumpkin Beers: Mostly ambers or brown ales topped with pumpkin pie spices but some devoted brewers will still make a beer with pumpkin puree or even more rarely, actual roasted pumpkin

ESB (English Style Pale Ale): Coppery, somewhat sparkling and very easy drinking beers with a lot of floral and even herbal notes from higher hoppiness than other autumn beers, but still backed up with bready malt character

Oktoberfests: Those nutty, easy-drinking but hard-hitting German lagers equally rich with toffee flavor as they are with history as a fall staple

P.S. All of the above go great with caramel apples.

Best Oktoberfest Beer

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest

When September rolls around, it’s time to drink Oktoberfest beers. The German Marzen-style beer is perfect for the changing of the seasons. It’s coppery, malty and rich enough to warm your spirits during the chilly fall evenings.

“I always like trying Sierra Nevada’s yearly Oktoberfest beer that they brew in collaboration with a rotating German brewer. It’s universally good and interesting to see the nuances the German brewers bring to the table.” – Joe Mashburn, Head Brewer at Night Shift Brewery

Best Brown Ale

Cambridge Brewing Heather Ale

The Scottish Gruit is an ancient herbal beer that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Breweries like Cambridge have begun to unearth this style that’s perfect for fall sipping. One of the best is Cambridge Brewing’s Heather Ale, made with floor-malted barley (like a handful of Scotch whiskies) and fresh, harvested heather flowers.

“[This beer] is floral but it also has a malty depth to it and is good on both hot days and when the weather gets a little chilly. I wait every year to score some of Will Meyers’ award-winning brew.” – Kelly McKnight, Pilot Brewer At New Belgium Brewing

Best Pumpkin Beer

Cigar City Good Gourd

One of the most highly-anticipated fall brews is the pumpkin beer. While there are a lot of overly sweet, way-too-pumpkin-flavored varieties, there are a few brewers that manage to stay true to the style, maintaining a well-balanced and flavorful taste, without a punch in the gut of pumpkin spice.

First released in 2009, Cigar City Good Gourd is one of the best pumpkin-based beers on the market. This Imperial pumpkin ale was made with allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla. It’s like fall in a pint glass – without being overpowering.

Best Porter Beer

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

You can’t go wrong with a porter on a cool fall night. One of the best is Deschutes Black Butte Porter. The rich, roasted, coffee-like flavors of this stout-adjacent brew pairs perfectly with late summer, early fall bonfires.

“In Miami, it’s tough to be able to notice the difference between seasons but fundamentally speaking I believe that a porter is the perfect style for autumn. The OG porter, in my opinion, is Deschutes Black Butte Porter. What an amazing beer this is. So delicious and rich. This Porter breaks the cycle of the light and hoppy varieties of summer and brings you right into the fall with wonderful roast and malt flavors.” – Rhett Dougherty, Head Brewer at Veza Sur Brewing

Best Spiced Fall Beer

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

It’s important to celebrate the end of one season and the beginning of another. That’s why a beer like Sierra Nevada Celebrate works perfectly. It’s also the perfect combination of citrus and spice to keep one sandaled foot in summer while the other booted foot is planted firmly in fall.

“As Summer comes to a close, I’m always anticipating the arrival of Celebration Ale. This beer uses the freshly picked hops from that year’s hop harvest. It is a reminder to celebrate the Summer’s bounty and welcome in the next season.” – Yiga Miyashiro, Director of Brewing Operations at Saint Archer Brewing Company

Best ESB Beer

Southern Tier Harvest Ale

Fall is a time for harvests and ESB beers (English Style Bitters). These refreshing, amber-colored beers are subtly fruity, malty and the perfect gateway between summer and fall. There are many ESB brews on the market, but one of the best and most autumnally appropriate is Southern Tier Harvest Ale.

The 6.7 percent ABV ESB is made with English hops and cracked barley. It’s dark red in color with hints of grapefruit and toasted malts, and a subtle hint of spice that will remind you not to forget to bring a light jacket on a cool fall night.

Best Red Ale

Founders Red Rye IPA

While super hoppy IPAs are a little too bitter and light for fall drinking. The Red Rye IPA and its subtly spicy flavor, resulting from the addition of rye malt, is perfectly suited for the fall beer drinker. One of the best options is Founders Red Rye IPA.

“We used to make one, and it was always my favorite transition beer for fall. Rye brings some spice to the table and the caramel malts add great balance. ” – Jason Santamaria, Beer Architect at Second Self Beer

Best Scotch Ale

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Another beer style that is well-suited for fall imbibing is the Scotch Ale. The rich, malty, caramel-sweet style is higher in ABV than summery beers and is guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly evening on the back porch. Also known as a Wee Heavy, one of the best on the market is Founders Backwoods Bastard.

If you find yourself with a bottle of this 11 percent ABV, barrel-aged Scotch ale on a fall night, you’re guaranteed to not need a jacket as the high alcohol content will warm you up quickly. From the very first sip, you’ll taste toasted caramel, Scotch whisky, dried fruits, and rich chocolate.

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